Real Madrid revenue rises 7 percent

MADRID — Real Madrid said it posted record revenue of more than a half a billion in the 2011-12 season, an increase of 7 percent.

The world's richest club says it earned $673 million — up from a record $628 million — for a profit of $44 million in the season it won the Spanish League.

Madrid says its debt load dropped from $221 million to $162 million, coming in line with UEFA's financial fair play requirements.

Financial fair play requires European teams to only spend what they earn. The break-even rule goes into effect in the 2014-15 season

Madrid, which leads Spanish rival Barcelona and Manchester United in the rich list, says the revenue figures are "the biggest sum of any sporting institution in the world."

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Stern expects big revenue for Nets

NEW YORK — NBA commissioner David Stern said the Brooklyn Nets may jump into the league's five highest revenue teams in the franchise's first season in the Barclays Center.

Speaking at the Bloomberg Sports Business Summit hosted by Bloomberg Link in New York, Stern also stressed the league's desire to increase its brand in India, the world's second most-populous country. Those inroads include a Hindi-English website, television agreements, tournaments and possibly a league that bears the NBA name.

The Nets' revenue should improve from "pretty bad" during their last season in Newark, New Jersey, to one of the league's top five or six, said Stern.

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